1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a mount for a piston-cylinder assembly, especially for a vibration damper, where one end of the piston rod is immovably connected to the mount and an elastomeric support body connected to the structural component to be damped is clamped between an upper support flange and a lower support flange forming a ring-shaped space around the piston rod.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows the upper mount for a piston-cylinder assembly, namely, for a vibration damper in the form of a shock-absorbing strut, as currently used in large numbers of passenger vehicles. The essential advantages of the mount, also referred to as a thrust bearing, are its simple design and the associated price. From experience it is known that this mount is sufficient to meet all the strength requirements imposed by a passenger vehicle.
There are also vehicles, however, such as delivery trucks or heavy all-terrain vehicles for which, although the strength requirements may still be met, the known mount does not always provide a desirable safety cushion because of the range of variation of possible loads on the vehicle.
The simplest possibility is obviously to select one of the mounts used in commercial vehicles. This solution, however, would mean considerable extra cost for the mount and ultimately would involve the use of a component far larger than necessary.
The task of the present invention is to improve the mount known according to the state of the art in such a way as to increase its strength.
This task is accomplished according to the invention in that a support body, which is immovably connected to one of the support flanges and also immovably connected to the piston rod, is provided to absorb the cardanic forces acting on the support flange.
The use of the additional support body makes it possible to keep the previous mount. Thus, a solution is available for cases in which the anticipated demand for mounts is relatively small, and the cost of this solution can also be considered acceptable when measured against the increase in load capacity thus obtained.
In a first variant, the support body is designed as an angle ring and is installed on the bottom surface of the support flange. The shape of the support body alone provides a favorable relationship between the increase in strength and the added weight.
As an alternative, the support body can be designed as a solid ring and be supported axially on a shoulder underneath the support flange. It is recommended that the solid ring be made of an elastic material.
To compensate for manufacturing tolerances, the support body has free spaces, which, after installation of the support body, are at least partially equalized as a result of its intrinsic elasticity in conjunction with a press-fit with respect to the piston rod and/or the support flange.
In another solution, a support body is provided on the side of the upper support flange facing away from the lower support flange. Of course, this solution can also be combined with the one previously described.
In addition, a support body can be provided in a second ring-shaped space between the upper support flange and the fastening means.
An especially large increase in the load capacity of the mount can be achieved by supporting one side of the support body on the upper support flange and the other side on the fastening means. This variant can be improved even more with respect to load capacity by designing the support body as a sleeve with a bottom. The bottom helps carry the load, and, if the bottom is closed, it also protects the fastening means.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.